Chapter 16
I opened my mouth to correct the boutique owner, but Kane stepped forward before I could speak. His eyes never left mine as he moved closer.
"Beautiful doesn't begin to cover it," he said, his voice a low rumble that sent an unexpected shiver down my spine.
The shop owner clasped her hands in delight. "I'll give you two a moment," she said, slipping away with a knowing smile.
"Kane," I hissed once she was gone, "what are you doing?"
He circled me slowly, taking in every detail of the wedding gown. His usual mockery was absent, replaced by something more intense.
"Playing the role everyone's assigned me," he replied, stopping directly in front of me. "Best man, remember?"
I shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. "Well, now you've seen it. You can go."
Instead of leaving, he stepped onto the pedestal, bringing us eye to eye. I was suddenly aware of how close we stood, the mirrors around us reflecting our image from every angle—me in pristine white, him in his dark suit, a perfect contrast.
"Are you really going through with this?" he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Marrying a man who can't even show up for your final fitting? Living like a widow while your husband openly loves another woman?"
His words cut deep because they held the truth I'd been trying to ignore. I looked away, blinking back tears.
"You don't understand," I whispered.
Kane surprised me by gently tilting my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. "Maybe I understand better than you think."
The unexpected tenderness in his touch disarmed me. This wasn't the Kane I knew—the careless playboy who treated relationships like disposable entertainment. This was someone else, someone whose eyes held a warmth I'd never noticed before.
"There are other options, Aurora," he murmured, leaning closer until I could feel his breath against my lips. "Other paths than the one you've been forced onto."
My heart hammered against my ribs, conflicting emotions warring within me. Part of me wanted to push him away, to remember all the reasons Kane was dangerous. But another part—a part I'd been denying—wanted to lean into his touch, to lose myself in the promise of his lips.
Our faces were inches apart, the tension between us electric, when the boutique door chimed. We froze, still locked in our almost-embrace.
"Aurora?" Raymond's voice shattered the moment. "The shop owner said you were back here—"
Kane and I sprang apart as Raymond appeared at the fitting room entrance, Giana hovering behind him. Raymond's expression darkened as he took in the scene—me in my wedding dress, Kane standing too close on the same pedestal.
"What's going on?" Raymond demanded, his voice tight.
Giana peered around him, eyes widening with malicious delight. "Oh my," she said with exaggerated surprise. "Are we interrupting something?"
I stepped hastily down from the pedestal, nearly tripping on my train. "It's not what it looks like," I stammered.
Giana's smile was knife-sharp. "It looks like you two make a perfect match. Almost like a real couple."
Raymond's jaw clenched, possessiveness flashing in his eyes despite having no right to it. "Kane," he said coldly, "what are you doing here?"
Kane descended from the pedestal with casual grace. "Just checking on the wedding preparations," he replied with a shrug. "Since the groom couldn't be bothered to show up for his bride's final fitting. Isn't that why you asked me to be your best man? To stand in when you're... unavailable?"
Raymond had the grace to look slightly ashamed. "I had an unavoidable situation," he muttered, glancing at Giana.
"Clearly," Kane drawled.
I stepped between them. "Kane and I just ran into each other by chance," I explained. "He was walking past the boutique when I was trying on the dress."
Raymond nodded stiffly. "I came as soon as I could. Giana's... emergency wasn't as serious as we feared."
Giana moved to Raymond's side, linking her arm through his, but her eyes remained fixed on Kane and me with new speculation.
Alpha Marcus's announcement at dinner a week later caught me completely off guard.
"We're hosting a celebration for Aurora's birthday," he declared, smiling warmly at me. "The entire pack will attend."
My birthday had never been a major event. I looked to Raymond, who seemed as surprised as I was.
"That's very kind," I began, "but really, there's no need—"
"Nonsense," Luna Elena cut in. "A small gathering is the least we can do."
She turned to Raymond with a meaningful look. "Of course, you and Aurora should have some private time as well. I'm sure Raymond has planned something special for just the two of you, haven't you, son?"
Raymond hesitated, then to my surprise, simply nodded. "Of course," he said, not meeting my eyes.
A tiny flicker of hope kindled in my chest. Perhaps he still cared, at least enough to acknowledge my birthday.
The evening of my birthday arrived with a perfect autumn sunset. Raymond had arranged dinner at Lakeview, the most exclusive restaurant in the city. I'd spent hours getting ready, secretly hoping we might recapture a fragment of what we'd once been.
Instead, he checked his phone every few minutes, barely responding to my attempts at conversation.
"Is everything okay?" I finally asked.
"Fine," he said. "Just some pack business."
Just as the waiter brought dessert, Raymond's phone buzzed again. His expression softened, and a smile touched his lips.
"Aurora," he said, setting down his napkin, "I need to step outside for a moment. Pack business."
Through the restaurant's window, I watched him pace on the sidewalk, phone pressed to his ear, more animated than he'd been all evening.
After ten minutes, a familiar blonde appeared, hurrying toward him. Raymond's entire demeanor transformed as he spotted Giana, his face lighting up.
He swept her into his arms before pulling something from his pocket—a small, wrapped box tied with a ribbon.
My stomach clenched as Giana tore open the package, her excited squeal visible even through the glass as she held up a sparkling necklace.
Raymond returned to our table minutes later, slightly breathless. "I'm sorry about that."
"Pack business?" I asked, my voice deadly calm.
He nodded, not meeting my eyes. "Something came up that couldn't wait."
We finished dessert in silence. As the waiter cleared our plates, Raymond glanced at his phone again.
"Aurora, there's been a situation with... one of the new pack members," he said carefully. "I need to go deal with it. We need to keep up appearances a bit longer, and then I'll come back to take you home."
"The new pack member being Giana?" I asked, beyond caring if he knew I'd seen them.
Raymond had the decency to look startled but quickly recovered. "It's not what you think."
"It never is," I replied tiredly. "Go, Raymond. Don't worry about coming back for me."
He hesitated for only a moment, then nodded. Without hesitation, he abandoned me, only pausing briefly at my chair. "We have to keep up appearances," he whispered. "I'll try to come back later."
"Happy birthday," he added as an afterthought, already backing toward the door.
I waited an hour. Two hours. Three. My calls went straight to voicemail, texts unanswered.
With a sigh, I signaled for the check, only to discover Raymond had at least had the courtesy to pay before he left.
As I gathered my purse to leave, my phone chimed with a notification. A social media post from Giana, posted minutes ago.
The picture showed Raymond and Giana at another restaurant across town, an intimate table for two lit by candles, champagne glasses raised in a toast. Raymond was smiling—a real smile, the kind he hadn't given me in months.
The caption read: "Best surprise dinner ever! ❤️ #blessed #mycleversurprise"
I stared at my phone until the screen went dark, the bitter truth settling over me. There had never been any pack emergency. The surprise birthday celebration hadn't been for me at all.
It had been for her.
